Archive for August, 2008
{ August 27, 2008 @ 5:22 pm }
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{ Books }
{ Tags: Books, favorite, released today }
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OK I am totally recommending this book – ‘Sweetsmoke‘ by David Fuller. It is being released today August 27th. I am almost through with it but had to turn out the light at midnight last night. I do need SOME sleep;) Check out their website. There is even a map of the plantation where the story takes place – I printed it out and am keeping it in the book. I can’t say enough good things about this incredible novel
Here is my review for Librarything.com – remember – I AM NOT A WRITER – just an appreciative reader of those who can. And no one paid me for this believe me. If I like something you’ll know, if I hate it you’ll know even sooner and louder.
“This is an exceptional novel . Can I give more than five stars? Can I give ten? May I please offer twenty! This book has held me for the last several days in suspense, fear, anger, humor and yes despite the subject, joy. I LOVE THIS BOOK and I do not say this lightly. I am not going to go in to the story synopsis, others will have done this far better than I. Suffice it to say that through David Fullers expert writing I lived with the characters, cried with them and suffered with them. This is how good a story teller he is. I laughed – albeit a little bit at the cluelessness of (frightened) slave owners, as they were trapped in the dysfunctional world of their own making. But what a novel, what a story to tell. Cassius our hero, is a wonder, a very angry man who has the strength and personal will to talk himself out of throttling everyone who ‘gets his goat’ even though most justly deserve it . He is good/bad, smart/simple, angry… vindictive …and finally – forgiving. Cassius reaches a place most of us never will, despite being a slave all his life. What an incredible character, and what a great telling of a difficult and terrible part of our nations history. Most highly, HIGHLY recommended.
Thank you LibraryThing for the opportunity to view this first hand. I just adored it. Best time I’ve spent behind a page in a long time. ( 
)”
{ August 27, 2008 @ 12:00 am }
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{ Pets }
{ Tags: feral cat, Pets }
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Here is a pic of the feral cat we have been feeding for the last couple of months. This is the closest I have ever been able to get to him/her? and perhaps someday he might even come in the house. We have caught him sneaking up the stairs and poking his head through the door but one look at ‘people’ and he’s right back out. Oyster keeps chasing him away but last night she she tolerated him on top of the gold BMW, Purrl as well. So we shall see, we might have three cats before we know it!
What to name the feral kitty - boy or girl? Don't know yet.
Tina and I called Forgotten Felines about the cat I found living out behind our office. They trapped him, neutered him and released him within just a couple of days. I haven’t seen him since but we know he’s enjoying his daily delivery of cat food and they new home I bought for him. They do good work those folks at forgotten felines.
{ August 22, 2008 @ 10:34 pm }
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{ Books }
{ Tags: Add new tag, Books, motivation, vacation }
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Not very motivated here at work today. I am just so tired from all the activities, can’t seem to regroup. I am going to try not to do anything on Sunday and just read my book. I snagged an early reviewer book from LibraryThing.com which I am loving called ‘Sweetsmoke’ by David Fuller. It’s about slavery in the south during the civil war. Very haunting and sad, but excellent. I think I’m just suffering a little burn out. Need a vacation of some sort. Rob and I are planning a weekend trip to Mendocino sometime soon as my Mom gave me a gift certificate to Little River Inn LAST YEAR for my birthday – pathetic that we haven’t been able to use it yet. But we’ve been actually talking about it so it might actually happen! Really could use it right now…
{ August 21, 2008 @ 6:17 pm }
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{ Tidbits }
{ Tags: bar mitzvah, gift cards, teenager }
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R and I have been invited to my bosses sons bar mitzvah this coming Saturday. I am very honored and excited as I have never been to one before. Not quite sure what to get him as a gift yet. Money is always good but it would be nice to have something more personal. Any ideas?
I’ve decided on a gift card to Barnes & Noble. I understand he loves books, my kind of kid:)
OK, modified that to $50 Barnes and Noble, (couldn’t get to Borders but thanks for the suggestion Cath), $25 itunes, and a $25 movie card. I think that should cover it for a teenage boy.
{ August 20, 2008 @ 12:06 am }
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{ Pets, Tidbits }
{ Tags: breast cancer, Pets, politics }
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I am so disgusted with John Edwards! I can’t believe I voted for him in the primaries – just can’t believe it. I was so disappointed he dropped out even before the California primary happened, thought I had thrown away my vote. We have to vote absentee because we live in the middle of nowhere and there is no precinct. I always vote early because of this. And then he went ahead a dropped out before the rest of the state went to the polls. Now I am soooo glad he is out, what a poop he is. To cheat on his wife while she is struggling with breast cancer. What a egotistical moron he is. She should dump him. Rant ended.
Now for something cute to look at – Here is our little Betsy who I really do think will graduate from CCI this time – she is wonderful! Eight months old now and she is as smart and sweet as they come. It will be very hard to say goodbye when the time comes…
Betsy Wetsy - when will she ever be completely housebroken???
{ August 18, 2008 @ 5:49 pm }
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{ Tidbits }
{ Tags: air show, bbq, picnic }
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Picnic went fine, everyone had a good time and enjoyed the food that River and I SLAVED over. The air show was the next day – that was fun except for the sunburn I received on my chest. I now have a permanent red V-neck rather than my former scoop neck. <sigh> I even applied sunscreen twice. I guess I should just never go outside:(
Had another big BBQ after the air show. Rob said I wouldn’t have to do anything, but hah! what a joke. I worked just as hard as the day before. Needless to say I am still pretty tired. Back at work and still trying to get into the swing of things. I need a weekend off from my weekend!
{ August 15, 2008 @ 12:31 am }
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{ Food, Tidbits }
{ Tags: bbq, picnic }
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Tomorrow is the big ol’ company picnic which I, whether foolishly or not, offered to have at the ranch. Soooo much work to do. I was shopping for 4 hours last night all over town, Costco, Safeway all over the place. Tonight is the big salad put together and chop up for marinade night. Should keep me busy for a few hours. Rob is helping – but it’s still a lot of work. I hope it’s fun and that it’s not too hot and people have a great time.
{ August 12, 2008 @ 11:09 pm }
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{ Pets, Tidbits }
{ Tags: flies }
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My favorite thing to do - watch the flies enter the trap - to their death. Boohahahah;)
Isn’t this just disgusting? I have three of these traps and this one is obviously the ‘Disco’ of choice. The others – not the cool place to die. I still have high hopes for them. If they all looked like this there wouldn’t be a fly left on the place – yes, that’s my goal;) Zero fly tolerance at my house. There are probably 1000 flies in this trap by now. Now that we have four horses the fly population has grown exponentially. Ewww, nice and smelly to attract even more flies to their death. Sick as I am – this thought makes me happy…
{ August 8, 2008 @ 10:45 pm }
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{ Pets }
{ Tags: horses, poop }
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No kidding! This is what Rob and I picked up around the yard and in the horse pen over the last couple of days. Our new little girl Lemon Drop does not have the same sense of refined manners than the other horses do. The three oldsters poop down under the oak trees far away from the gate and where I feed. It’s kind of like their own personal Starbucks where they can go chat and poop contentedly under the trees. Little Miss Lemon Drop likes to poop where she eats. Yuck. That’s gross. I never worried about picking up manure before – didn’t have to it all just eventually disappeared. But now… I am not throwing perfectly good hay on top of a pile of poop. Ick, ick ick. Granted not all the poop pictured is hers – but everything on top of the pile is. Yup, she needs go to Starbucks with the other horses. My garden will be happy to see this nice smelly pile.
Poop on top of poop! Love that Gator.
{ August 6, 2008 @ 12:14 am }
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{ Food, Pets }
{ Tags: Food, healdsburg, Lemon Drop }
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I am going to try to chronicle Lemon Drops weight recovery every week or so. Here is a picture I took today at lunch of her eating – she had already finished her grain/senior/pellets. I hope there is a difference from a week ago… She is sooo ribby.
Lemon Drop after one week at food camp.
Went to dinner last night at one of my favorite restaurants,
Zin. Had my favorite hanger steak in zinfandel sauce, caesar salad, deep fried green beans, and the most outstanding ravioli ever! We had a great
Pezzi King Zinfandel to go along. All quite wonderful and we
all enjoyed the dinner. It brought back the memory of last years dinner out for my birthday – we all had such high expectation for Healdsburgs’
Dry Creek Kitchen, but alas, it was
AWFUL. What a
DISAPPOINTMENT! Jaffs’ salad tasted like grass clippings, Robs’ and mine was OK, but the main dishes while looking very stylized and attractive were a big
ZERO on the taste ratings. And it was very expensive to boot. The service was clumsy – they did not have enough napkins for us, What??? No napkins? Not until we were well into our first course that is. I do not recommend going there to anyone, tourist or otherwise. I understand they lost their 4 star rating and zagat survey – and I can sure see why. Yuck. Avoid this place at all costs. For really wonderful consistent food I recommend,
Zin,
Cena Luna,
Bistro Ralphs in
Healdsburg, and
Sante in
Geyserville instead. All much finer service and much, much better food.
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